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CRISPR/Cas and Cmr modules, mobility and evolution of adaptive immune systems
Shiraz A Shah1, Roger A Garrett
1Archaea Centre, Department of Biology, Copenhagen University, DK2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
Research in Microbiology
|September 25, 2010
Summary
CRISPR-Cas and CRISPR-Cmr systems in bacteria and archaea function as adaptive immune defenses. These genetic elements can move within genomes and transfer between organisms, contributing to genetic novelty and evolution.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- CRISPR-Cas and CRISPR-Cmr are prokaryotic adaptive immune systems targeting foreign genetic elements like viruses and plasmids.
- These systems provide a defense mechanism crucial for microbial survival and evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic behavior and evolutionary dynamics of CRISPR-Cas and CRISPR-Cmr systems.
- To explore the potential for horizontal gene transfer and its impact on microbial genomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of CRISPR loci location and association with mobile genetic elements.
- Inference of horizontal gene transfer events based on sequence data and genomic context.
- Comparative analysis with eukaryotic small RNA systems.
Main Results:
- CRISPR-Cas and CRISPR-Cmr modules function as integral genetic elements, often found in variable genomic regions.
- These systems are subject to genome shuffling, including transposition, leading to dispersal and potential genetic novelty.
- Evidence suggests frequent exchange between related organisms via plasmids and conjugation, with rare interdomain transfer between archaea and bacteria.
- Parallels exist between CRISPR crRNAs and eukaryotic siRNAs/piRNAs in transposon silencing, despite a lack of homologous proteins.
Conclusions:
- CRISPR systems are dynamic genetic elements involved in microbial evolution and adaptation.
- Horizontal gene transfer plays a significant role in the dissemination and diversification of CRISPR systems.
- CRISPR mechanisms share functional similarities with eukaryotic RNA interference pathways, highlighting convergent evolution.
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CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this defense.
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